The holiday season is the perfect time to get out and enjoy a seasonal stroll.

Here are seven of the best ways to reconnect with nature - before or after the festivities get into full swing.

National Botanic Gardens

People walking in the Botanic Gardens, Dublin, 26-03-2021. Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNews

The National Botanic Gardens is one of Dublin’s most famous landmarks, located just 10 minutes from the city centre.

While parts of the gardens remain closed due to COVID restrictions there is still plenty to see - and this is a wonderful way to blow out those Christmas cobwebs without working up too much of a sweat.

Hellfire Club

Shrouded in local myth and legend, the Hellfire Club is a hugely popular destination for Dubliner’s looking to escape the city.

The area offers a range of short forest walks culminating at the foreboding hunting lodge at the top of the hill.

Rumoured to have hosted the devil himself at one point, the hunting lodge was built in 1725 and later became a meeting point for a club of ‘wild young men’ after they were barred from a city centre tavern near Dublin Castle.

Ticknock

Ticknock is a wonderful spot for cycling

Set just on the outskirts of Dublin, Ticknock offers a range of walks for all levels of fitness.

The walks offer unrivalled views out over Dublin Bay and the city itself.

Set just beyond Sandyford in south Dublin, you can get here from the city centre in around half an hour; finding yourself in the Dublin Mountains wilderness within minutes.

The Spinc, Glendalough, County Wicklow

The Spinc ridge over Glendalough Valley. Image: Mielag / Alamy Stock Photo

This famous walk takes you from Pollanass Waterfall and up through a forest track until you reach a boardwalk offering breath-taking views into Glendalough and across the Wicklow uplands.

The return leg crosses the Glenealo River and takes you back down towards Glenadlough’s Upper Lake.

In all, the hike should take around three and a half hours.

The Walls of Dublin Bay

People with their dogs as they take a walk at the great South Wall Dublin, 26-10-2020. Image: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews

The Great South Wall and the North Bull Wall both offer perfect opportunities to get out in the fresh air and taste the salt of the sea.

The North Bull Wall near Clontarf extends nearly 3km out into Dublin Bay and was responsible for the formation of Bull Island which features some of the city’s best bird-watching opportunities.

The Great South Wall, sometimes called the South Bull Wall, extends over 4km from Poolbeg out into the bay.

It was the world’s longest sea wall when it was built and remains one of the longest in Europe.

Emo Court, Portarlington, County Laois

Bluebells In The Pleasure Grounds, Emo Court, Co Laois, Ireland. Image: Design Pics Inc / Alamy Stock Photo

While the Palladian Mansion at Emo court will remain closed for renovations until 2022, the estate itself remains perfect for a post-Christmas ramble.

Europe’s second-largest walled park, the estate is rich in Irish history and natural beauty.

Home to native red squirrels and giant Sequoia trees planted in 1853, follow the yellow arrows to explore an estate filled with beautiful trees, walled gardens and even an ornamental lake.

The Great Western Greenway, County Mayo

Seven Arch Railway Bridge over the Black Oak/Newport River, Newport, County Mayo. Image: George Munday / Alamy Stock Photo

This 44km walking and cycling trail begins at Westport and runs all the way to Achill Sound.

With stunning views of Clew Bay, Clare Island, Croagh Patrick and the Nephin Beg Mountains, the route is perfect for anyone looking to explore one of Ireland’s most beautiful areas by bike or by foot.